Restoring Life

“Loose him, and let him go!” John 11:44

It would be impossible to somehow list the miracles of Jesus from being the least significant to the most dramatic. Each time we read about the Son of God doing something in the realm of the supernatural, it reminds us of the unique and wonderful qualities of this God-Man, as He lived a humble life marked by His unlimited authority.

He turned water into wine at the suggestion of His loving mother. He blessed and broke a little boy’s lunch and fed over 5,000 men (not counting the women and children). He calmed troubled waters by speaking to the howling wind, “Peace! Be still.” He anointed blinded eyes with mud made from His own spittle, and those eyes began scanning the wonder of God’s creation with 20/20 vision. He caused the rotting, putrefying flesh of the isolated leper to become as soft and beautiful as a newborn child. The leper’s song was changed from “Unclean, unclean” to “Jesus Loves Me” as he ran excitedly back home to embrace his family. And He stood against the enemy of our souls, casting out those fallen spirits who occupied and were destroying the lives of those who had been demon possessed. These are but a few examples of the authority of Christ displayed for us in the Gospels. Yet there are three miracles that truly must captivate our attention when we consider the greatness of His power, and they all have to deal with the trauma of death.

In Mark 5:21-43, we have the account of a twelve year old girl, the daughter of Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue, probably Capernaum, where Jesus had established his ministry headquarters. We do not know the reason for her sickness, but it was severe enough that this man went looking for Jesus as He was returning from a trip across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus immediately began to go with this man to his home, but the journey was interrupted by a diseased woman with an issue of blood. When word came that the girl had died, Jesus would not allow the sad news to prevent Him from going to see her. Ridiculed by those who had gathered to mourn her passing, Jesus chose a few of His disciples, and along with the girl’s parents, entered into the privacy of her room and called out her name to a restoration of life! She who had been enveloped in death for a few brief moments was alive again – Praise the Lord!

Looking at Luke 7:11-17, we find the story of a frightened widow in the town of Nain who was burying her only son. This young man would be the sole provider of financial security for this woman, and now he was dead. Was his death a result of some horrible disease, or the shocking reality of a violent accident? We do not know the answers to these questions, but we do know the result of the Lord’s presence that day. He stopped the funeral procession, put his hand on the open coffin, and spoke softly to the young man, who immediately sat up and began talking to his bewildered and excited mother. Death had been a reality for this young man perhaps for several hours, if not overnight. But now the sting of death was only a memory as he danced again in the sunlight of divine love!

The testimony of Lazarus in John 11:1-44 is a little different. This man was not twelve years old or in the maturing years of early adulthood. Lazarus would have been considered middle aged, if not in the beginning of his senior adult years. When Jesus finally arrived on the scene, Lazarus was far beyond experiencing death for a few brief minutes or even a collection of hours. Horrified when Jesus commanded that the stone should be rolled away from the place of his burial, Lazarus’ sister, Martha, protested that he had been dead for several days, and there would be a horrible odor coming forth from his decaying corpse. Nevertheless, the stone was removed, and following a prayer to His Heavenly Father, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” The Bible says that the man who had been dead suddenly appeared in the opening of his death chamber still wrapped in his grave clothes. Then the words of instruction from the lips of our Lord to those who observed this incredible miracle, “Loose him, and let him go.” Wow!

Jesus was, and is, the giver of life. Divine life springs forth from spiritual death when He calls our name in redemption. But He is also the restorer of life. When our life of faith seems to have experienced some sort of horrible disease or tragic accident, resulting in death, He can call our names like no other. And when He does, life is restored. My journey is not unique. Life can often be described as two steps forward, and one step back. Since I began chronically some of my personal adventures in this format, more and more of His grace is being realized as I obey His directives. What about your journey of life and faith? Are you experiencing the sufficiency of Christ in victorious living, or do you feel more entrapped in a dark tomb of fear and shame? If the latter is more like your current situation, do not despair, for the Lord of glory is still able to break the chains that bind you as you hear Him whisper your name. By faith, you can respond to His powerful voice and experience restoration of life. And as you rise up in obedience, you might also hear Him declare to those who are nearby: “Loose him, and let him go!” I pray that for you and for me, the best is yet to come! AMEN!!

A Door of Divine Opportunity

“A great and effective door has opened to me!” I Corinthians 16:9

It is quite thrilling when we recognize that God is doing something unique and wonderful. It is even more thrilling when we realize that He is giving us the opportunity to join His activity. The Apostle Paul had just concluded a season of ministry in the city of Corinth. He had labored faithfully there for some eighteen months before ending what we call his second missionary journey as he began the arduous journey back towards Jerusalem. Paul passed through the city of Ephesus as he traveled, and he told the believers that he would return to them if it proved to be the Lord’s will (Acts 18:19-21).

 

Well, it certainly proved to be God’s plan for this man to return, and when he did, he experienced some of his most fruitful ministry. After straightening out some poor doctrine concerning the Holy Spirit and believer’s baptism, Paul spoke boldly among the Jews in the synagogue for three months. When opposition began to rise against his teaching, he was able to secure a place in the school of Tyrannus (who was either a Jewish rabbi, or perhaps a Greek philosopher, and a well-known and respected teacher with his own “private” school) and continue his ministry for the next two years. This door of opportunity gave Paul a secure place to teach, lecture, mentor and disciple both Jews and Greeks on a daily basis. As a result, the Bible says, “the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.” (Acts 19:20) No wonder Paul said to the Corinthians that a great and effective door has opened to me!

As I write these words, God has uniquely opened a wonderful door of ministry opportunity for me as well. I may not encounter what Paul did so many years ago in the exciting city of Ephesus, but I am no less delighted to be involved in the life and ministry of the Bethel Baptist Church on Military Road in Columbus MS (https://www.facebook.com/p/Bethel-Baptist-Church-100064557615154/). Tammy and I had been sincerely praying for a place to serve that would embrace our giftedness and life experiences, and we are humbled by this unique opportunity that God has given me to serve Bethel as their Interim Pastor. Please pray that we will bear spiritual fruit like we’ve never seen before, as we seek to love and lead this precious body of believers into the fresh encounters of God's presence. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." (John 15:5-8) To God be the glory!